Cigar lighter



United States Patent O 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electric cigar lighter having a removable igniting unit in a holder in which the bimetallic latch contacts in the holder act as a hunting thermostat to prevent overheating and burning out of a heating element if the igniting unit is held too long in an energizing position either intentionally or accidentally.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to electric cigar lighters of the type generally used in motor vehicles.

An object of this invention is to provide means for preventing the heating element of an igniting unit from being overheated and burned out if the movable parts of the igniting unit are held in energizing posit-ion in the holder either intentionally when reenergizing the heating element to obtain a relight, or accidentally when the igniting unit fails to return to open circuit or storage position automatically after the heating element has obtained a desired temperature for use.

In such electric cigar lighters of the removable igniting unit type presently available on the market, there are two ways in which the heating element of the igniting unit may be electrically connected to a source of current in the holder.

One way is by engagement of -a contact means on the igniting unit with heat-responsive latching contact fingers on the holder which, when the heating element reaches a determinate temperature, release the contact means on the igniting unit and permit the movable parts of the latter to be moved by spring means to an open circuit or storage position from which it may be removed from the holder for use.

The other way of making electrical engagement between the igniting unit heating element and the holder is by engagement of the contact means on the igniting unit with auxiliary contacts in the holder which are not heat responsive latches and which maintain the engagement so long as the igniting unit is held in energizing position by hand or accidentally.

With the auxiliary holder contacts, if it is desired to reenergize the heating element at a time when it has cooled, but before the bimetallic latching contact fingers have cooled sufiiciently to grasp the igniting unit contact means, the user need merely manually hold the igniting unit contact means in engagement with the auxiliary contacts in the Iholder to reheat the heating element.

This provision has created a problem because if the heating element is being energized by the auxiliary contacts, there is the ever present danger of the circuit being maintained so long that the heating element will be burned out. This burn-out can occur if, for example, while holding the igniting unit in energizing position to obtain a relight the drivers attention is distracted for too long by some traffic or other road condition. It can also occur, if through some malfunctioning of the lighter the igniting unit contact means fails to automatically move away from the auxiliary contacts in the holder.

To avoid these hazards, many cigar lighters of the type referred to have been provided with additional fuses or 3,433,928 Patented Mar. 18, 1969 ICC circuit breakers which respond to overheating of the heating element and open the supply circuit to the lighter and keep it open until 4manually and intentionally reset. Not only does the provision of the circuit breaker add to the cost of the lighter, but it can be a source of annoyance to the user who usually has no way of determining the reason for the lighters subsequent failure to operate, and he may assume that it is prematurely inoperative. If the user should Ibe aware of the fact that the circuit breaker has functioned, he has the problem of resetting it, if in fact, he knows how to perform this operation.

In the prior devices referred to, the auxiliary contacts also serve as inner end stops for the igniting unit and made butting engagement with the contact means in the igniting unit.

These problems and difficulties have been obviated by the present invention by discarding the use of the auxiliary contacts on the holder and substituting for them an electrical insulator as an end stop so that current can be transmitted to the heating element while the latter is in energizing position only by the bimetallic latching contact fingers.

In normal use, the bimetallic latching contact fingers, while being heated by transfer of heat from the energized heating element, gradually lose their holding power until a point is reached at which a return spring in the igniting unit overcomes the holding force of the contact fingers, and the contact means on the igniting unit pushes past the fingers and moves to open circuit position. The contact fingers, upon being cooled to ambient temperature, return to effective latching position.

The elimination of the use of the auxiliary contacts would seem to raise a problem in obtaining a reenergization of the heating element immediately after the latter was heated lbut has cooled down to the point where it is not hot enough to ignite a cigar or cigarette. However, I have found that under normal conditions of use, the bimetallic contact fingers, as constructed and used in millions of cigar lighters of this type, upon the lapse of only 5 seconds after they have been heated for use, have cooled off suiliciently t0 return to position to engage the igniting unit contact means and make good electrical contact therewith, even though the contact fingers have not yet cooled off to a degree where they are capable of holding the igniting unit contact means in energizing position against the force of the return spring.

I have further found that, if under these conditions, the movable parts of the igniting unit iare held in energizing position by hand, for instance, against the force of the return spring, the heating element will be further energized until the desired temperature for use is reached, whereupon the bimetallic contact fingers will disengage the igniting unit contact means and remain disengaged until they have cooled sufficiently to reengage, assuming the igniting unit is still held in energizing position by hand, and this hunting operation of the contact fingers will continue without damage to the heating element until the igniting unit movable parts are permitted to return to nonenergizing position in the holder.

Heretofore it was proposed in the patent to Vosefski, No. 3,076,084, that to obtain a reheating of the heating element, a latch seat carried by the igniting unit contact means have a radially projecting ridge disposed axially adjacent to the latch seat which would be engaged by a cooperating latch finger carried by the holder when the igniting unit contact means was moved further into the holder to reenergize the heating element by holding the contact means in the innermost position by hand.

I have further found that this projecting ridge is not necessary or desirable and that the latching contact fingers and the igniting unit contact means may be in substantially the same latching relationship whether the heating element is being first brought to desired temperature without hand interference or is being held in energizing position to be reheated by hand or by accident. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide for a substantial additional inward movement of the igniting unit contact means or to alter the shape of the contact fingers due to this identity of contact relationship in either mode of operation.

As shown in the drawings, it will be observed that when the heating element is being heated normally, as in FIG. 2, there is a slight clearance between the heating element contact means on the igniting unit and the insulating end stop. But when the igniting unit contact means is held in energizing position by hand, this clearance is taken up, as shown in FIG. 3. This clearance is for tolerance in manufacturing the lighter and is in the order of a few thousands of an inch. It is not enough, however, to substantially alter the nesting of the latching contact fingers and the igniting unit contact means, and as a result, when the latching contact fingers cool off sufficiently to make contact with the igniting unit contact means, the parts will nest together and make contact substantially the same as they did in the initial engagement, even though the contact is not strong enough to hold the igniting unit contact means against the force of the return spring.

As a result of this, an advantage of the device of the present invention over the prior art results from the ability to use the standard igniting units of which there have been many hundreds of thousands manufactured and held in stock for replacement purposes.

Another significant aspect of the present invention resides in the recognition, not only of being able to utilize standard igniting units already manufactured, but also of being able to retain a particularly yadvantageous feature of one type of igniting unit, which is the sliding type ash guard. This generally comprises an outer sleeve which is axially slidably mounted on the igniting unit body portion sleeve and frictionally held in either of two positions, one in which the end of the ash guard sleeve is disposed substantially beyond the heating element so that the latter is enclosed in an ash catching recess, the other in which the end of the ash guard is substantially fiush with the heating element, thereby permitting the user to light a pipe. As will be more clearly seen hereinafter, the advantages of this construction can be retained only by the arrangement of electric contact components whereby the bimetallic contact fingers engage the exterior surface of the igniting unit contact means so that the latter can be held to a relatively shallow depth, preferably substantially the same as, or little more than, the thickness of the heating element. If the bimetallic contact fingers were arranged to contact the interior surface of the igniting unit Contact means, such as illustrated in the above mentioned Vosefski patent, the igniting unit contact means must then be relatively deep in order to accommodate the bimetallic contact fingers, thereby necessitating what amounts to a fixed ash guard and defeating the fundamental purpose of the sliding ash guard.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood in connection with the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a longitudinal section of an igniting unit positioned in a holder, and showing the parts in a normal storage position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l showing the parts in the energizing position with the igniting unit heating element being heated in the normal manner from the latching contact fingers;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the position of the parts when the igniting unit is held in the energizing position by hand, and the contact fingers have broken Contact with the igniting unit contact means; and

FIG. 4 is -a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, the electric cigar lighter of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10 and includes an igniting unit 12 that is positionable within a holder 14 and is removable therefrom for use. The holder 14 is elongate and has a cylindrical wall 16, a flanged open end 18 and an inner end wall 20 which substantially closes the inner end of the holder. The holder 14 is secured in an aperture 22 of a mounting panel 24, such as the instrument panel of an automobile, by means of a clamping shell 26, the other end of which abuts the rear face of the panel 24 and the inner threaded end 28 thereof is engaged with a threaded cup 30 secured by means next described to the end wall 20 of the holder 14.

The latter securing means comprises a threaded metal contact post 32 having a head portion 34 which is disposed over an insulating spacer 36, the latter resting on the end wall 20 of the holder 12. The bottom wall 38 of the threaded cup 30 is disposed adjacent the other surface of the end wall 20, and a metal washer 40 is disposed on the bottom wall of the cup 30. An insulating washer 42 is placed over the washer 40, and the entire assembly is secured together on the contact post 32 by a nut 44.

The contact post 32 is adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy, such as an automobile battery, and is electrically connected to a plurality of heat responsive bimetallic contact fingers 50 through which an electric circuit is closed to the igniting unit heating element through a contact means carried by the igniting unit 12 in a manner more fully described hereinafter. The contact fingers 50 have a web portion 52 disposed adjacent the spacer 36 which is secured to the head 34 of the contact post 32 by having an end portion 54 of the head 34 spun over the web portion S2.

The igniting unit 12 comprises generally a housing, a body portion slidably mounted in the housing and a heating element assembly carried by one end of the body portion. More particularly, a generally elongate sleeve 56 having an outwardly flanged outer end 58 and an inwardly flanged inner end 60 constitutes the igniting unit housing. A body portion, consisting of a cylindrical member 62 having a bottom wall 64 and a top wall 66 secured to the cylindrical wall 62 by means of tabs 68 which project through slits 69 in the top wall 66, is slidably received within the housing 56. The body portion is normally urged outwardly of the housing 56 by a spring 70 captured between a flange 72 formed on the body portion top wall 66 and the inturned fiange 60 on the inner end of the housing. Outward movement of the body portion relative to the housing 56 is limited by abutment with the flange 60 of the bottom wall 74 of a cup shaped member 76 which is secured to the body portion as more fully described hereinafter.

A handling knob 78 is suitably secured to the body portion for moving the latter inwardly of the housing 56 against the force of the spring 70, the knob 78 being threadably engaged as at 80 with the top wall 66 of the body portion. The knob 78 carries a flanged disc 82 for covering the exposed end of the body portion.

A heating element assembly is secured to the inner end of the body portion for movement therewith between a normal storage position shown in FIG. 1 and an energizing position shown in FIG. 2. The heating element assembly comprises a heating coil 84, the outer end of which is secured to a coil cup 86 with the inner end being secured to a stud 88, the coil itself resting on a suitable heat resistant washer 90 supported by an intermediate portion of the coil cup 86. The heating element assembly is secured to the body portion by means of an eyelet 92 having both ends spun over and capturing together as a composite structure the bottom wall 64 of the body portion, the bottom wall 74 of the cup shaped member 76, an insulating washer 94, the bottom wall of the coil cup 86 and another insulating washer 96.

It will be observed that the free end of the coil cup, which constitutes the contact means of the igniting unit, is formed as a radially outwardly projecting ridge 98, and that the free ends of the bimetallic contact fingers 50 are formed with radially inwardly projecting latching portions 102 which nest with the ridge 98 on the coil cup 86 in the manner shown in FIG. 2 to hold the heating element assembly in the energizing position until the heating element 84 is raised to its normal operating temperature. The latching contact fingers 50 are radially spaced to engage the exterior surface of the coil cup 86 and are normally biased inwardly to hold the cup in the energizing position against the force of the spring 70. As the heating element 84, which is in close proximity to the contact fingers 50, approaches its normal operating temperature, the contact fingers gradually begin to move outwardly until they reach a point where there is insufficient holding force on the coil cup to resist the force of the spring 70, whereupon the igniting unit body portion and heating element assembly are moved outwardly of the holder 14 to an accessible position as more fully described below.

The significant aspect of the present invention resides in the construction of the insulating spacer 36 and its co operation with the bimetallic contact fingers 50 and the coil cup 86 of the igniting unit heating element assembly. The insulating spacer 36 is formed with a substantially disc-like base portion 104 which rests on the bottom wall of the holder 14, the spacer 36 having a central aperture through which the contact post 32 passes. The base -portion 104 has a surface 106 which faces outwardly of the holder 14 and against which the head 34 of the contact post 32 is seated. As best seen in FIG. 4, four arcuate shaped sectors 108 are formed on the base portion 104, the sectors defining grooves therebetween in the spacer 36 within which the electrical Contact parts are disposed so that they cannot be touched by the contact parts on the igniting unit except at the prescribed location of the bi Imetallic contact fingers.

More particularly, in reference to FIG. 4, the sectors 108 define a first pair of aligned grooves 110 through which the bottom or web portion 52 of the bimetallic contact fingers 50 pass, and a second pair of aligned groves 112 through which pass the end portions 114 of a strap 116 which overlies the web portion S2 of the contact fingers 50. The strap 116 assists in securing the web portion 52 to the head 34, and also helps to maintain the contact finger assembly in a fixed position during operation. The strap 116 is made of metal and therefore is electrically conductive, principally for the reason that in prior art lighters which provided for auxiliary relight contacts in the holder, as discussed above, such contacts were either connected to or formed integrally with the end portions 114 of the strap 116.

As best seen in FIG. 2, when the igniting unit body portion and heating element assembly are vmoved to the energizing position, the bimetallic contact fingers 50 engage the outer surface of the coil cup 86, the cooperating latch portions 98 and 102 engaging and nesting to hold the igniting unit parts in this position until the heating element 84 Iattains a desired temperature. In this position, the bottom edge of the coil cup 86 is spaced from the top surfaces of the insulating member sectors 108, but only by a Very small amount. This small amount of clearance is in the order of a few thousands of an inch and is provided only for tolerance in the manufacture of the lighter parts.

It will be seen by reference to FIG. 3 that if the movable igniting unit parts are held in the energizing position, for example, by manual pressure on the knob 78, the coil cup 86 can move inwardly only the very small distance mentioned above, whereupon the bottom of the coil cup 86 contacts the upper surface of the sectors 108, which now act as end stops to effectively arrest the movable igniting -unit parts in substantially the energizing position. In this position, the bimetallic contact fingers 50 will still be in substantially the same nesting relationship with the contact portion of the coil cup 86 as when the latching feature of the respective contact means is being utilized. The difference is, however, that within a matter of several seconds after the contact fingers 50 have expanded and lost latching contact with the coil cup 86, they will have cooled enough so that the latching portion 102 will have moved inwardly enough to contact the coil cup 86 and complete a circuit to the coil 84 in order to obtain a relight of the coil. And this will occur even though the contact fingers 50 have not cooled sufficiently to have regained enough holding strength to latch the coil cup 86 4against the force of the spring 70. When electrical contact is again made between the contact fingers 50 and the coil cup 86, the coil 84 will reheat to a desired temperature. However, if the igniting unit is not removed from the holder for use when the coil has been sufficiently reheated for use, it will not burn out from overheating as heretofore because the heat from the coil will cause the Contact fingers 50 to move away from the coil cup 86 to again break the circuit to the coil 84 thereby permitting the latter to begin cooling down again.

lIt will now be understood that as long as the igniting unit -contact means is held, either manually or by other .means, and whether intentionally or by accident, in the energizing position, the contact fingers 50 will continue to make and break the circuit to the coil 84 in the above manner, thereby functioning as a hunting thermostat to provide initial energization for attaining normal use temperature as well as intermittent energization to attain relight temperature, and at the same time functioning to prevent overheating and burning out of the heating element 84 in either of the above modes of operation.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there is provided a retractible ash guard which comprises an outer sleeve slidably mounted on the body portion sleeve 56 so as to assume either a retracted position as shown in the drawings or an extended position in which the free end 122 of the sleeve 120 extends beyond the heating element 84 in a manner Well known in the art, the amount of movement of the sleeve 120 being determined by a detent 124 (FIG. 3) which rides in a slot (not shown) formed in the Ibody portion sleeve 56. The sleeve 120 is provided with a radially outwardly extending ange 125 which overlies the flange 18 on the holder 14 when the igniting unit 12 is in the storage position. The ash guard serves to prevent ashes from dropping into the lap of a user by providing a cup or recess for the heating element when the ash guard is extended. At the same time, the ash guard may be retracted on the body portion sleeve and the heating element assembly then projected beyond the ash guard, .as in the position for energizing the heating element when the igniting unit is in the holder, for the purpose of lighting a pipe.

The ash guard sleeve is also utilized to hold the removable igniting unit within the holder. Thus the ash guard sleeve is provided with an outwardly projecting annular ridge 126 which is engaged by the latch 128 formed on the free end of a lanced finger 130 which is struck out of the cylindrical wall 16 of the holder 14. As shown in the drawings, there are two such diametrically opposed detent fingers engaging the ridge 126. Thus in the normal storage position of the igniting unit in the holder, further inward movement of the ash guard sleeve 120 is prevented by the flange 125 and outward movement is prevented by the detent fingers 130 engaging the ridge 126 until the detent fingers are biased outwardly by the camming action of the ridge 126 resulting from an axial pull on the handling knob 78 for the purpose of removing the igniting unit from the holder.

`It will now be appreciated that the sliding ash guard,

f and the above mentioned advantages thereof, could not be retained in conjunction with the present invention were it not for the fact that the latching contact fingers 50 are positioned to engage and make electrical contact with the exterior surface of the coil cup 86 rather than the interior surface thereof. This is so for the reason that the portion of the contact fingers 50 which overlaps the coil cup 86 is substantially greater than the thickness of the heating element 84 and by contacting the exterior .surface of the coil cup, the heating element can be maintained substantially fiush with the end of the coil cup and not recessed deeply therewithin as would be necessary if the contact fingers 50 were to contact the inner surface of the coil cup. In view of this relationship of the parts, it is possible to maintain a sliding type ash guard sleeve 120 which remains stationary and out of the way When the igniting unit movable parts are moved to the energizing position as shown in FIG. 2, and which slides to an ash catching position as the igniting unit is removed from the holder for use.

Preferably the outer surface of the coil cup 86, or at least the contact surface of the latch portion 98, is plated or coated with a nonoxidizing metal such as gold, rhodium, etc. or silver whose oxide is conductive to avoid corrosion or pitting of the latch portion 98 due by possibly arcing caused by excessive repeated breaking of the circuit between it and the contacting surface of the latch fingers 50.

It will now be appreciated that there has been disclosed a cigar lighter having the advantages and features set forth above. It will be understood that the invention is not to be deemed limited to the specific embodiment disclosed, but rather is intended to cover all such variations and modifications as may be deemed to be Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric cigar lighter comprising an elongate holder having an open outer end and a closed inner end, said holder being adapted to be mounted in an aperture formed in a panel, an igniting unit adapted to be received and removably held in said holder in a normal storage position, said igniting unit comprising a housing, a body portion mounted in the housing for movement between said storage position and an energizing position spaced axially inwardly from said storage position, spring means normally urging said body portion toward said storage position, and a heating element assembly mounted on the inner end of the body portion, said assembly including a heating element and electric contact means connected to the heating element, bimetallic heat responsive contact fingers mounted in the holder in position to be spaced from said contact means when the latter is in said normal storage position and to close an electric circuit to said contact means when the latter is moved to said energizing position, and cooperating latching means formed on said contact means and said bimetallic contact fingers and operable to hold said contact means in said energizing position until said heating element reaches a predetermined temperature and to then release said Contact means to break the electric circuit thereto and permit said body portion to return to said storage position, the improvement comprising electrically insulating stop means mounted in the holder in position to arrest the axial inward movement of said contact means when the latter is substantially at said energizing position whereby said contact fingers constitute the sole means for completing the circuit to said contact means, said contact fingers being operable to successively disengage and engage said contact means to break and make the circuit to the latter when the contact means is maintained in energizing position by means other than said cooperating latching means, the circuit being made before the contact fingers have cooled enough to make effective latching engagement with the contact means and being broken when a predetermined temperature is reached.

2. A cigar lighter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrically insulating stop means comprises an insulating block formed of nonconducting material and disposed adjacent the closed inner end of the holder, said block having surface means disposed closely adjacent the contact means when the latter is in energizing position.

3. A cigar lighter as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bimetallic contact fingers are two in number and are displaced diarnetrically opposite each other and have a connecting portion which is mounted on said insulating block, the latter having recesses to receive the connecting portion therein, the elevated portions between said recesses preventing said contact means from engaging said connecting portion of the contact fingers When the igniting unit is in energizing position.

4. A cigar lighter as set forth in claim 3 wherein said igniting unit contact means comprises an annular cup having a peripheral ridge portion encircling said heating element, the latching means on said fingers engaging the exterior portions of the annular ridge at opposite sides of the cup when the latter is moved to energizing position, said contact fingers being moved radially outwardly in response to a predetermined temperature to break the circuit to said cup and normally release said cup so that said spring means may return the igniting unit to open circuit storage position, said contact fingers being biased to move inwardly toward cup-engaging position as they cool whereby the contact lingers will break the circuit and successively and continuously make and break the circuit to the cup before the Contact fingers have cooled enough to make latching engagement with said contact means, if the cup is held in contact with the insulating block by means other than said cooperating latching means.

5. An electric cigar lighter comprising:

(A) an elongate holder having an open outer end and a closed inner end, said holder being adapted to be mounted in an aperture formed in a panel,

(B) an igniting unit adapted to be received and removably held in said holder in a normal storage position, said igniting unit comprising a housing, a body portion movably mounted in the housing between said storage position and an energizing position spaced axially inwardly from said storage position, spring means normally urging said body portion toward said storage position, a heating element assembly mounted on the inner end of the body portion, said assembly comprising a heating element and electric contact means connected to the heating element, and a sleeve slidably mounted on the exterior surface of said housing and normally terminating inwardly adjacent the heating element to substantially expose the latter, said sleeve being slidable to an extended position when the igniting unit is removed from the holder to substantially enclose the heating element, said sleeve having means cooperating with the holder for preventing inward movement of the sleeve when the ybody portion is moved to the energizing position,

(C) bimetallic heat responsive contact fingers mounted in the holder in position to be spaced from said contact means when thelatter is in said normal storage position and to engage the exterior surface of said electric contact means to close an electric circuit to said contact means when the latter is extended beyond the inner end of said sleeve lby movement of said body portion to said energizing position,

(D) electrically insulating stop means mounted in the holder in position to arrest the axial inward movement of said contact means when the latter is substantially at said energizing position whereby said contact fingers constitute the sole means for closing the circuit to said contact means, and

(E) cooperating latching means formed on said contact means and said bimetallic contact fingers and operable to hold said contact means in said energizing position until said heating element reaches a pre- 3,433,928 9 1o determined temperature and to then release said con- References Cited tact means to break the electric circuit thereto and permit said body portion to return to said storage UNITED STATES PATENTS position, said contact lingers being operable to suc- 2,180,711 11/1939 Lehmann 219-2`65 X cessively engage and disengage said Contact means 5 2,505,328 4/ 1950 Jackson 219-265 while the latter is maintained in said energizing posi- 2,895,038 7/1959 Ashton et aL 219-267 tion by means other than said cooperating latching 3,028,474 4/ 1962 Horwitt 219-267 means. 6. A cigar lighter as defined in claim 1, in which the VOLODYMYR Y' M AYEWSKY, Primary Exam-nen contacting surface of the Contact means has a coating m of nonoxidizing metal. U.S. Cl. X.R.

7. A cigar lighter as defined in claim 1, in which the 219-265 contacting surface of the ycontact means is silver plated. 

